Nonheel shaving hypodermic needle



June 10, 1969 F. H. .1. FIGGE 3,448,740

NONHEEL SHAVING HYPODERMIC NEEDLE Filed June 24, 1966 INVENTOR Frank H.J. Fiyge BY QZ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,448,740 NONHEEL SHAVINGHYPODERMIC NEEDLE Frank H. J. Figge, 4 Maryland Ave., Towson, Md. 21204Filed June 24, 1966, Ser. No. 560,276 Int. Cl. A61m 5/32 US. Cl. 128-22112 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A noncoring hypodermic needle,comprising a heel portionand a tip portion terminating in a piercingpoint characterized in that at least one side Wall portion is spirallycurved from the piercing point to the heel portion and the heel portionis rotatably displaced approximately within the range of 260 to 280 andpreferably about 270 from the piercing point in the same direction asthe direction of spiral of said side wall portion.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hypodermicneedles, and the like. Such needles usually comprise a cannula having alumen extending therethrough, the cannula being provided with a bevelledend which terminates in a piercing point. When the needle is used and ispushed through material such as a bottle stopper or human skin, thematerial punctured by the needle has a tendency to bulge into the lumenand cause what is commonly known as coring and/or heel shaving. Whenthis occurs, a piece of the material plugs the lumen so that it isdiflicult to eject fluid through the needle, and even when fluid isejected, the plug of mate rial becomes lodged under the skin and causesirritation and soreness.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the invention to eliminate theabove outlined disadvantages of conventional hypodermic needles, thisbeing attained by providing a needle in which the possibility of coringand/or heel shaving is substantially minimized, if not altogethereliminated.

As such, the needle of the invention has an open side with an elongatedtongue-like or lancet-like cannula wall segment which, for purpose ofdescription, comprises a tip portion terminating at a piercing point anda rear portion terminating at a heel. The tongue-like or lancet-likecannula Wall segment is defined by a pair of side edges terminatingforwardly at the piercing point and rearwardly at the heel in a smoothcurve.

For purpose of description a radial line extending from the projectedaxis of the needle through the piercing point in a plane normal to theaxis will be considered the reference line of zero degrees from whichangular measurements used in locating various features of the needle aremade.

The hypodermic needles which are presently known in the art commonlyhave a lancet-like cannula Wall segment terminating at a piercing point,and an open side with a heel located on a radial line through the axisof the needle which is at an angle of 180 rotated from a radial linethrough the piercing point. Examples of needles of this type are shownin US. Patents Nos. 2,560,162, George W. Ferguson, July 10, 1-951, and2,711,733, George W. Jacoby, In, June 28, 1955, to cite only twoexamples of many patents showing hypodermic needles having the heelrotatably displaced 180 from the piercing point. Many attempts have beenmade to modify the lancet points of hypodermic needles where the heel isrotatably displaced 180 from the piercing point to make the needlenoncoring. Tests made by the present inventor show that these attemptshave not resulted in hypodermic needles which completely eliminatecoring or heel shaving.

It is an object of this invention to locate the heel on the side of theneedle so that it lies on a radial line through the axis of the needlewhich is displaced approximately 270 from the piercing point in either aclockwise or counterclockwise direction (looking rearwardly from thepiercing point). This shifts the position of the heel approximately in aclockwise or counterclockwise direction from the position of the heel onneedles known in the prior art as referred to above. While it ispreferred that the heel be displaced approximately 270 from the piercingpoint in either direction, satisfactory results are obtained for thepurpose of this invention if the displacement as defined above is withina range of from 260 to 280. One side edge of the tongue-like cannulawall segment is spiralled rearwardly to the heel from a position on thetip portion at the side opposite the heel in the same direction ofrotation as the displacement of the heel from the piercing point. Theone side edge thus is spiralled rearwardly from a position of less than180 displacement from the piercing point through the 180 radial line tothe heel. The function of the one spiralled side edge is to pushmaterial which has a tendency to bulge into the lumen outward or in acentrifugal direction as the needle penetrates the material. The otherside edge of the tonguelike cannula wall segment may be spiralled from aposition on the tip portion on the same side as the heel to the heel inthe same direction of rotation as the direction of displacement of theheel from the piercing point. The other side edge may alternatively bestraight or substantially straight. It is within the scope of thisinvention that the tip end portion of the needle take various formsprovided that the heel is rotatably displaced approximately 270 from thepiercing point considering the direction of rotation to be the same asthe direction of spiral of the one side edge described above.

The tip end portion may be symmetrical or non-symmetrical and the sideedges of the tip end portion may be bevelled to lie within the sameplane or they may be otherwise angled. One side edge may be straight oralmost straight and the other side edge spiral.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hypodermic needletip having an opening wherein one side of the opening is curved andextends across the arch of the lumen to the heel on the opposite side ofthe needle. The curved side is dulled and curved in such a manner as topush any material which would bulge into the lumen out of it so that thematerial could not be shaved off by the heel of the needle.

It is another object to provide, in a modified form of the invention, ahypodermic needle tip having an open side with an elongated tongue-likecannula wall segment defined by a pair of side edges terminating at apiercing point, one side edge being approximately straight and nearlylongitudinal with a sharp knife-like edge on the straight side, and theother side edge being dull and spirally curved to cross the lumen andmeet the straight edge in a smooth curve.

The needle of the invention is simple in construction, efiicient inoperation, and lends itself to convenient and economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become W apparent as thisspecification proceeds, the invention will be understood from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designatelike parts, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the piercing endportion of the improved needle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof taken in thedirection of the arrow 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a modifiedembodiment of the needle;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken in the direction ofthe arrow 5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an end view taken in the direction of the arrow 6 in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularlyto FIGS. 1-3 which show one embodiment of the invention, the hypodermicneedle comprises a tubular body or cannula 10 having a longitudinalpassageway or lumen 11 extending therethrough. The piercing end portionof the cannula 10 has an open side and is constituted by an elongated,tongue-like cannula wall segment 10a. defined by a pair of side edges12, 13 which terminate in a piercing point 14.

The tongue-like cannula wall segment 10a comprises a tip end portion 10bterminating in the piercing point 14 and a rear portion 10c terminatingat the heel 15. The heel 15 is located on the cannula wall on a radialline 16 which is rotatably displaced approximately 270 in a clockwisedirection (looking rearwardly from the tip) from a radial line 17extending through the piercing point 14. The tip end port-ion 10b isdefined by side edge portions 12 and 13' while the rear portion 10c isdefined by side edge portions 12 and 13".

One of the side edges of the rear portion 100, for example, the sideedge portion 12", is spiralled rearwardly throughout the length of therear portion as shown in FIG. 2. The other side edge of the rear portion100, for example, the side edge portion 13" is also rearwardly spiralledin form and extends from the rear of the tip portion to the heel 15. Theside edges 12 and 13 smoothly merge together in a curved or arcuatemanner at the heel 15, as best shown in FIG. 1.

The side edge portions 12' and 13 in the tip end portion are sharplybevelled, providing a front cutting region, As shown in FIGS. 1-3, theside edge portions 12' and 13' are fiat and lie approximately within thesame plane. It is, however, not intended that the invention be limitedto the configuration of the side edge portions 12 and 13' shown in FIGS.1-3. In addition to being flat and lying in the same plane, they mayalso be spiralled from the tip end rearwardly to the junction of therear portion 100, or otherwise configured to provide a sharp cutting tipend portion. It is, however, of primary importance that at least one ofthe side edges be spirally curved throughout at least the rear portionof its length to the heel which lies approximately 270 rotatablydisplaced from the point 14.

The side edge portions 12" and 13" extending rearwardly from the tip endportion 10b to the heel 15 are preferably dulled. In manufacture, thedull edge regions 12" and 13" may be formed by sand blasting them into ablunt, rounded form while keeping the sharp edge regions 12' and 13protected against said blasting by appropriate covering.

When the needle is used to puncture material such as a bottle stopper orhuman skin, the material is first penetrated by the piercing point 14and the sharp edge regions 12, 13', whereupon the blunt or dull edgeregions 12", 13", by virtue of their spiralled form, effectively serveto prevent the material from bulging into and coring in the lumen 11,this being because the spiralled edge regions in contact with thematerial deflect the material laterally outwardly through the openside.of the cannula, rather than permit the material to bulge inwardlyinto the lumen where it would eventually be shaved off by the heel 15 toform a plug or core.

The modified embodiment of the needle shown in FIGS. 4-6 is for mostpart the same as the already described embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 and,where applicable, the same numerals of reference are employed. Theprimary dilference between the two embodiments is that in the embodimentof FIGS. 4-6 the side edge 13a is straight and extends substantiallylongitudinally rearwardly from the piercing point 14 to the heel 15,while in the embodiment of FIGS. l-3 the side edge 13 is spiralled.However, the side edge 13a also has a sharply bevelled front cuttingedge region 13a and a relatively dull region 13w extending rearwardlytherefrom to the heel 15, as will be clearly apparent. The operation ofboth embodiments is substantially the same as already described, butwith the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6- it is not necessary to provide aspiralled edge at both sides of the cannula wall segment and thespiralled edge 12" at one side is primarily relied upon to perform theaction of deflecting the pierced material outwardly from the lumen ofthe needle.

Although two forms of the invention have been shown in the drawingswhich illustrate the manner in which the side edges of the tongue-likesegment of the cannula may be varied and still provide the non-coringfunction of the invention, various modifications may be resorted to,falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. Various formsfalling within and even outside the range of extremes shown by FIGS. 1-3and FIGS. 4-6 wherein changes are made with regard to length andcurvature are fully within the scope of the invention.

While in the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferredembodiments of the invention, various modifications may become apparentto those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly,it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and variousmodifications may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A hypodermic needle comprising a cannula having a lumen extendingtherethrough, one end portion of said cannula having an open side andcomprising an elongated tongue-like cannula wall segment having a tipend portion terminating in a piercing point, and a rear portionintegrally joined to said tip end portion and terminating in a heel,said tongue-like cannula wall segment being defined by a pair of sideedges terminating forwardly at said piercing point and rearwardly atsaid heel, one of said side edges of said wall segment being dull andspiralled in a smooth curve rearwardly from said tip end portion to saidheel at the opposite side of the wall segment, the other of said sideedges of the wall segment extending rearwardly from said tip end portionto said heel, said spiralled side edge serving to deflect a core ofmaterial pierced by the needle laterally outwardly from said lumenthrough the open side of the cannula, said heel being located on thecannula wall on a radial line extending outwardly from the cannula axis,which line is rotatably displaced through an angle within theapproximate range of 260-280 from the piercing point in the samedirection as the direction of spiral of said one side edge.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said one side edge of saidwall segment includes a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and adull core deflecting region extending rearwardly from said cuttingregion to said heel.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other side edge of saidwall segment includes a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and adull region extending in a spiralled form from said cutting region tosaid heel.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other side edge of saidwall segment is substantially straight and extends substantiallylongitudinally rearwardly from said piercing point to said heel.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said one side edge of saidwall segment includes a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and adull core deflecting region extending rearwardly from said cuttingregion to said heel, the other side edge of the wall segment alsoincluding a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and is located onthe cannular wall on a radial line extending outwardly from the cannulaaxis which line is rotatably displaced approximately 270 from thepiercing point in the same direction as the direction of spiral of saidone side edge.

8. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said one side edge of saidwall segment includes a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and adull core deflecting region extending rearward-1y from said cuttingregion to said heel.

9. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said other side edge of saidwall segment includes a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and adull region extending in a spiralled form from said cutting region tosaid heel.

10. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said other side edge ofsaid wall segment is substantially straight and extends substantiallylongitudinally rearwardly from said piercing point to said heel.

extending rearwardly from said cutting region to said heel,

11. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said one side edge of saidwall segment includes a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and adull core deflecting region extending rearwardly from said cuttingregion to said heel, the other side edge of the wall segment alsoincluding a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and a dull regionextending in a spiralled form from the last mentioned cutting region tosaid heel.

12. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said one side edge of saidwall segment includes a sharply bevelled front cutting edge region and adull core deflecting region the other side edge of the wall segmentbeing substantially straight and extending substantially longitudinallyrearwardly from said piercing point to said heel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,560,162 7/1951 Ferguson 1282212,711,733 6/1955 Jacoby 128-221 3,071,135 1/1963 Baldwin et a1. 128221FOREIGN PATENTS 799,455 4/1936 France.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

MARTIN F. MAJESTIC, Assistant Examiner.

